Volume LXXVI, Number 26
New Book on West Windsor History . 5 Dancer Diana Byer has No Plans to Leave the Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Morven to Host Fourth Of July Celebration, Activities . . . . . . . . . . 10 Remembering Lolita and James Mason . . . . . . 12 Princeton Festival Presents Broadway POPS!. . . . . . . . . . . 13 PU Summer Chamber Concerts Continues Series With String Quartet . . 14 Harrington Helps Introduce Unified Track to Special Olympics USA Games . . 22 Hun School’s Sheth Making The Most Out of Opportunities With Post 218 Baseball . . .26
Matthew Brophy Helps Princeton Little League Team Win Intermediate Title . . . 27 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 20 Celebrations . . . . . . . 11 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 31 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 29 Performing Arts . . . . . 15 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 31 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Summer Sales . . . . . 18-19 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Triumph Brewing Co. Looks Forward To Early 2023 Opening The renovations continue at Princeton’s former post office building on Palmer Square, and the Triumph Brewing Company is looking forward to moving into its elegant new home by the first quarter of 2023, according to Triumph owner and CEO Adam Rechnitz. Delays over the past six years, since Triumph first announced its plans to move from its 138 Nassau Street location, have been caused by easements that encroached on municipal property, protected state park land, the need for state permits, and, more recently, pandemic complications and supply chain problems in getting construction materials. But all systems seem to be go for an opening early next year. “They’ve gotten a lot done. It’s going to be a beautiful place — I’ll tell you that,” said Princeton Building Inspector Dan Tagliere. “The framing and mechanicals have been done. A lot of the systems are in place.” Rechnitz was upbeat about Triumph’s new Palmer Square setting — “obviously a better location” than 138 Nassau, he said. “I like the idea of being on the village green. We’ve learned a lot in the intervening 28 years since Triumph opened on Nassau Street about how to design and build, and we’ll be pleased to show the public what we’ve learned.” Triumph closed its restaurant and brewery at 138 Nassau Street in February of this year. Rechnitz noted that it had been in operation for 28 years, ever since he moved to New Jersey in 1994 and founded the Triumph Brewing Company, one of the first brewpubs in the state, in what for a long time had been a bowling alley. In addition to the Princeton location Rechnitz now owns and operates Triumph brewpubs in Red Bank and in New Hope, Pa. As far as the new Palmer Square establishment is concerned, Rechnitz insisted on keeping most of the interior design details a secret in order to “maintain the element of surprise.” The huge brewing vats will be installed in the basement of the building in the next month, he said. One of the supply chain delays involves the brewpub’s new lobby, which will consist of aluminum with framing Continued on Page 10
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Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Princeton Responds to Abortion Rights Decision There was anger, outrage, concern, fear, and in some quarters joy, but little surprise in Princeton in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last Friday, June 24, to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. There were a number of rallies over the weekend in the northern part of the state, demonstrators protesting the elimination of women’s right to choose and warning of dangerous results for women’s health. Anti-abortion advocates, though much less visible in the area than their opponents, applauded the decision, and in Trenton on Saturday a gathering on the steps of the Statehouse Annex celebrated the overturning of Roe with a “Rally for Life and Justice.” With individual states now determining whether they allow abortion, it will remain legal in New Jersey and in 23 other states. Gov. Phil Murphy — who signed a law, the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, in January, ensuring that abortion remains legal in New Jersey —denounced the U.S. Supreme Court decision and urged New Jersey lawmakers to further expand abortion access in the state. “While New Jersey planned for this eventuality by codifying a woman’s right to an abortion under state law, it is incumbent that we do more to fully secure reproductive rights and ensure access to
reproductive health care without delay,” Murphy said. “Until we do, my administration will take the necessary steps to fully protect both New Jersey’s women and those who come to our state to access the freedom which may no longer exist in their home state.” About six weeks ago, a draft majority opinion by Justice Samuel Alito of the decision to overturn Roe was leaked, prompting demonstrations across the country, including a gathering of more
than 500 at Princeton’s Hinds Plaza on May 14. Organized by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey (PPAFNJ), the demonstration drew abortion rights supporters from across the state and beyond. Princeton University issued a statement on the afternoon of June 24, following the announcement of the Supreme Court decision, asserting that “Princeton University health care and benefits for Continued on Page 8
Council Will Not Rescind Designation Of Buildings on Seminary Campus
Responding to a request from the Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development (PCRD) to rescind the designation of the Princeton Theological Seminary’s Tennent-Roberts-Whiteley campus as an Area in Need of Redevelopment (ANR), Princeton Council has opted not to take that action. The underlying zoning is in place until a redevelopment plan is proposed, reviewed, and accepted, said Mayor Mark Freda. “Removing that designation would likely, not for sure but likely, end us up in court, because removing that designation could remove value from the property,” he said. “The town could be sued by the
developer. So at this point, we have decided not to take action on the request.” Neighbors whose homes border the campus and other members of the community have been opposed to the Seminary’s plans to tear down the three buildings in question, which form a kind of gateway into town along Stockton Street. Even though representatives of the Historic Preservation Commission and the Mercer Hill Historic District Association have urged that the buildings be saved, they do not have any historic designation that would protect them. Among those speaking after Freda’s Continued on Page 9
SUNDAY AT THE POOL: Swimmers sought respite from the heat last weekend at Community Park Pool on Witherspoon Street. The pool is open daily through Labor Day. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)